[1920s mafia AU]
Gerard Way is a young, ambitious journalist in NYC, partly controlled by the mafia. His yearning for the truth starts getting him into trouble, but he is willing to go as far as it takes for his investigations. Maybe a little too fa...
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Mr. Iero is lounged on the couch. He asks for a maid to make two cups of coffee. "Mr. Way, it's been quite a while. How are you doing at the Sparrow Hall?"
"Not great..." I admit, scratching the back of my head. "But no one seems to notice. Besides, I must rehearse every day... It's not my strong suit."
"It's hard for anyone, take it slow." Mr. Iero frowns. His words warm my heart.
Knowing that he is the only one who can help me now, I tell Mr. Iero everything that happened. Maybe it's because I have no one else to talk to, but I end up telling him a lot. He patiently listens and waits for me to be done.
"You have been doing quite alright, it seems," Mr. Iero concludes. "Now, tell me more about what you mentioned on the phone."
Talking really took a weight off my shoulders. I sip my coffee while leaning back on the armchair I'm sitting.
"Spots on stage are rare. I can't go. Of course, I think I will at some point, and I will get an opportunity. I've seen Solazzo several times, but I never managed to catch his eye. I... I figured I had to be flirty with him. Was I wrong?"
The corners of Mr. Iero's mouth slightly lift. "You were not. I knew you were a smart one. Now tell me, what did you do?"
"Well, I acted flirty...and I tripped on purpose a couple of times."
"...That's what I thought..." Mr. Iero shakes his head.
"Am I doing it wrong?" I inquire. "Obviously, I am not... skilled for these things."
"But you can learn, and I can help you."
Pete introduces a woman with short, wavy, brown hair. Mr. Iero greets her. "Elizabeth, this is your student."
Elizabeth nods, then she takes my hand and leads me to the room next door. She tells me how she worked in a club for ten years. She has a lot of experience. She teaches me some moves and how to behave with men I want to seduce. Let's be fair, I wasn't very well-aware of those kinds of things... I have never seen this. It's all new for me and it makes me a little bit shy.
I take some notes – literally, I write down what she says – and I rehearse a few times with her help. After I am done, she drags me excitedly to a changing room. I am puzzled. Why should I get changed?
I put on a very well-cut velvet suit. It feels so nice to the touch and fits me like a glove. Elizabeth claps and we go back to the living room. I scan it and notice Pete and Mr. Iero. I have never seen the latter dressed so casually, I have to say. Instead of the usual trench coat, leather gloves and suit, Mr. Iero is simply wearing a suit jacket over a white shirt with rolled up sleeves.
"Pete! We need someone so he can practice his flirting, and I think you'll do," Elizabeth calls and the man looks up.
